Newsletter

Posted January 15, 2013 10:04 pm

From staff

Arbor Day events Friday

■ Arbor Day will be observed around the community this month with a variety of special tree give-aways.

St. Augustine Shores will be planting pine seedlings with the Florida Forest Service Saturday in honor of Arbor Day. Planting will start at 9 a.m. on a parcel adjacent to the fire house on Shores Boulevard. There will be planting trees on three parcels of land throughout the day. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to join us. Refreshments provided.

■ St. Johns County Master Gardeners will be giving away free tree seedlings at several local libraries on Friday, Arbor Day. To catch the commuters on the way to work, the giveaway starts at 8:30 a.m. and last until trees are gone.

Giveaway locations this year are slated for Hastings, Bartram Trail Branch, Southeast Branch, libraries plus Bird Island Park at Ponte Vedra (in the park) and the Walgreens near World Golf Village. This year’s trees in the giveaway are American hornbeam, pecan, southern magnolia, chickasaw plum, and the shumard oak.

■ The City of St. Augustine will commemorate Arbor Day Friday at the Hamilton Upchurch Park at the intersection of Anastasia Blvd. and Red Cox Drive. The brief ceremony starts at 11 a.m. and the public is invited to attend.

As is the tradition, the ceremony will include the planning of a tree by city officials, presentations by the city’s Street Tree Advisory Committee, and musical selections from kindergarten students from R.B. Hunt Elementary School.

And, as is also a standing tradition, the ceremony will conclude with Smokey Bear assisting in the distribution of a variety of saplings to all in attendance. This year’s giveaway tress are river birch, live oaks and red cedars. For information about the ceremony, contact the Department of Public Affairs at 825-1004.

■ The Garden Club, in honor of Arbor Day, will be having a native tree give-away Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at both the Ponce de Leon Mall, by the flag poles; and at Winn-Dixie, U.S. 1 North.